Student Transition Conference

On Monday 28 January we welcomed a group of Year 10 students from Skipton Girls’ High School (SGHS) and a group of Year 11 students from Brigshaw High School, Leeds to CRGS to take part in a conference’ Raising achievement through transition mentoring’.  The conference had been organised and planned by Mr Lawson (Deputy Headteacher) working with Mr Brass (Brigshaw High School). 

The conference was the first part of a joint project between the three schools to share best practice on transition and involve the students in supporting future work to help ease the transition from primary school to secondary school.  We know from pupil and parent surveys that our existing work is highly regarded and much appreciated but we are not complacent and want to continue to develop our transition programme. 

Following a tour of the Chatburn Road site each school gave a short presentation to tell the other delegates about their school.  They then listened to a presentation from each school about the best practice that currently exists.  The Brigshaw students talked about the work they have done during the last year to help Year 6 students make the move into Year 7.  Mr Wootton (Head of Year 7) spoke about the first day of the academic year for year 7 students at CRGS.  Finally Miss Wallace described the mentoring programmes that exist at SGHS to support students generally and in specific subjects.  All three presentations really gave the delegates an insight into the transition process and plenty of new ideas!

After lunch the delegates led small discussion groups with Year 7 students to find out their ideas about the transition process.  Finally each school worked together in their own school group to think about how they would like to move the project forward in their own school.  Our students decided to start this process straight away by taking School Assembly the following morning!

This is a very exciting project and we really believe that it will enhance our already excellent work.  Our students were outstanding on the day; both as hosts and as delegates.  The staff and students from the other schools commented upon the warmth of the welcome they received at CRGS and quickly recognised the outstanding learning ethos that exists.

Well done to everyone concerned!